Philosophy Courses

Core offerings
Elective offerings

The Core Curriculum features both "knowledge goals" and "skills goals."  Like writing and mathematics, the techniques of logical reasoning are considered to be valuable (and transferable) skills.  Logic is the science of correct reasoning.  PHIL 111, Foundations of Logical Reasoning, satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement in Foundations of Logical Reasoning (CLOR).  Everyone thinks and reasons, but it can be done well or poorly, and one can become a better reasoner through study, care, and practice.  This class is offered both semesters, and is required of all Freshmen effective Fall 06.  PHIL310, Symbolic Logic, satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement in Application of Quantitative Skills (CQUR), and is offered regularly.  All Philosophy courses satisfy distribution requirements in Humanities (CHUM) (except for First- and Second-Year Seminars, which satisfy the CFYS and CSYS requirements respectively).  Many of them satisfy the writing-intensive requirement (CWRT); consult the Catalog.

The department offers a range of elective classes, which reflects the diversity of interests of the faculty.  As a general rule, each elective we have is offered every other year; i.e., every four semesters.  This coming semester (Spring 2010), we will be offering the following:  (Please click the titles below (or see College Catalog (pdf) for more detailed descriptions.) Not all courses are available each semester; to preview open classes, check Current Courses)

Spring 2010 Electives -- Click title for description.  Those descriptions not posted yet will be posted soon!  For further information on individual courses, ask your advisor or contact the instructor.

PHIL298 -- Speaking-Intensive Second-Year Seminars
    298-001 - Immortal Combat - Prof. Luddy - M 6:00-8:40
    298-002 - Everyday Ethics - Dr. Steinhofer - MW 3:20-4:35
PHIL299 -- Writing-Intensive Second-Year Seminars
    299-001, 002, 003 - Morality and the Natural World - Prof. Valdez - TR 12:30-1:45; 2:00-3:15;
        3:25-4:40
    299-004, 005, 006 - Ethics of Harry Potter - Dr. Mogg - WMF 8:00-8:50; 9:05-9:55; 11:15-12:05
    299-H01 - Honors section - Morality at the Movies  - Dr. McAlinden - F 12:20-2:55

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL136 - Honors Colloquium: Anarchisms -- (1 cr) Open to all students with consent of instructor -- Dr. Skoble -- M 10:10-11   While some associate anarchism with violence and chaos, most philosophical proponents of anarchism have something more subtle in mind, and not always the same thing.  Many are surprised to find out, for example, that there are both capitalist and communist conceptions of anarchism, or that many have written about legal systems in an anarchist society.  This colloquium will explore the many different philosophical defenses of and criticisms of anarchism, from the point of view of communism, liberalism, and libertarianism.  Different theories of human nature will be considered as appropriate.  We will read selections from both 19th century and 20th century anarchist thought, and we will contrast the differing perspectives on the nature of freedom that they presuppose or explore.  In addition to key philosophical texts, we will read two fictional explorations of these themes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL216 - Values and Technology -- Dr. Womack -- TR 3:25-4:40   How do you get your information?  Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds, WebMD?  We live with so many streams of information, it is hard to know where to go, what to trust, and what is even most important to know.  In this course, we will focus on pressing issues that affect our lives on and around the Internet.  First up is health and the web:  with WebMD, drug ads on TV and patient blogs, do we need doctors anymore?  Next is information itself:  in the age in which everyone has a website, how do you know who to trust?  Finally, webself:  how does the web affect our relationships and our sense of self?  Is the new lack of privacy a good thing?  The notion of "friend" has been changed  forever by Facebook-- what does that mean for our important relationships over time?  Students will contribute to the list of online (and a few old-fashioned print articles-- remember them?) sources, and will do a variety of projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL222 - Philosophy of Law -- Dr. Skoble -- TR 12:30-1:45   This course is an exploration of a variety of philosophical issues pertaining to law.  We will not be studying the law in the sense of learning what all the laws are, although we will refer to real laws and Supreme Court decisions in the course of our investigations.  Philosophy of Law, like the "philosophy of" other things, is concerned with the theoretical underpinnings of our subject; ontological, epistemological, and ethical ramifications or presuppositions of our subject; questions of justification.  More specifically, we will examine questions such as: what is the nature of legal reasoning, especially judicial reasoning?  How, if at all, does it differ from other reasoning in philosophy or politics?  Where does legal authority come from?  What is law?  How are rights understood in the law?  How shall we understand the relation between morality and law?  What is the grounding of a system of punishment?  What is responsibility in the law?  There are also philosophical questions related to the history of law and legal practice, such as the origins of rules of evidence and criminal procedure.  Our objectives for this semester are to look at some of the main philosophical theories pertaining to these questions, get a better sense of what law is and what legal systems are, and to learn to think philosophically about these issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL304 - 19th-Century Philosophy -- Dr. Devlin -- MW1:50-3:05    This course examines some of the predominant thinkers in the 19th century, and the philosophical questions addressing the tension between reason as a central aspect of human beings and nature on the one hand, and the collapse of reason and the human being's possible descent into nihilism on the other.  This tension will be examined in such areas as metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.  We will begin with Hegel and Mill as setting the foundations of metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics of 19th century philosophy, and move to Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche as reactions to those foundations. Students will be required to write two 6-10 page papers and take a final (cumulative) exam.  It is strongly recommended that students have already taken at least three credits of a 200-level (or higher) philosophy course before enrolling in this course.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL310 - Symbolic Logic -- Dr. Skoble -- TR 9:30-10:45    This course explores the formal systems of truth-functional logic and quantificational logic, using Gentzen-type natural deduction methods.  By developing a symbolic system, we can more easily see the logical structures we are concerned with.  We will examine what can be legitimately inferred from a given statement or set of statements, whether a given statement can be false at all (or is necessarily true), whether a set of statements is consistent or inconsistent, and what it means to "prove," "deduce," and "imply."  We will study modes of statement composition, how quantificational analysis works, the difference between universal and existential quantification, the logical properties of statements or sets of statements (such as validity and consistency), and logical relations between statements (such as equivalence and entailment).  As time permits there will be discussions of related logical and philosophical matters, including, where possible, certain metatheoretical concepts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL405 - Metaphysics -- Dr. McAlinden -- TR 11:00-12:15   This course will be an advanced introduction to metaphysics.  We will discuss classic historical and contemporary texts, and we will be engaging in conceptual analysis -- analysis of the concepts we use in studying a problem, in this case, some problems of metaphysics, or reality, including time, personal identity, causation, and being.  The format of the class will be split between seminar and small group discussion.  Written assignments will include:  a reflection journal entry for each reading, and two papers (with required drafts).  This course will fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement for writing intensive and humanities distribution, as well as elective credit toward the Philosophy major or minor.  Prerequisite:  6 credits in philosophy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL450 - Senior Seminar in Philosophy -- Dr. Devlin -- TR 2:00-3:15    This course provides senior students in philosophy the opportunity to reflect on their philosophical development (the content of their classes, the essays they have written, the professors they have encountered, the philosophical problems they have encountered, etc.) through the synthesis of three perspectives in philosophy: (1) the history of philosophy, (2) philosophical problems, and (3) applications of philosophy to other disciplines.  Besides the instructor, other members from the department will visit and participate on an occasional basis.  Students will be required to write three reflective essays, each 6-10 pages, and compile these papers into one continuous narrative about their experience and views as a student in philosophy.  Students will also be required to engage in a weekly inquiry on philosophical issues of contemporary, universal, and personal concern, guided by the selected readings for the course. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL298-001 - Immortal Combat - Prof. Luddy - M 6:00-8:40   This course examines the idea of God in the history of the major religious groups. It investigates the source and inspiration of their conception of God, and its implication for morality and politics. The course pays particular attention to the phenomenon of fanaticism, the tendency of some factions within religious groups to follow a perilous path toward radicalism and possibly violence. We highlight the connection between fanaticism and nationalism, as well as the fighting words of various religious and political leaders in current conflicts. It is not merely Foreign Service employees who must understand contemporary religious issues and strife; it is a prerequisite for an informed citizenry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL298-002 - Everyday Ethics - Dr. Steinhofer - MW 3:20-4:35   This seminar is a philosophical examination of the ethical implications of certain familiar (perhaps everyday) activities including eating meat, gossiping, copying software, smoking, owning pets, and telling jokes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-001, 002, 003 - Morality and the Natural World - Prof. Valdez - TR 12:30-1:45; 2:00-3:15; 3:25-4:40    This course will be an examination of morality and how it applies to nature and the environment. Do animals and plants have moral demands on us? Do they have moral accountability? Is the environment worthy of conservation or preservation? Are things in the environment valuable only in their usefulness to humanity? Do humans and/or other animals have a responsibility to treat the environment and one another in a particular way? How are pollution and population growth influencing the way we think about the use of our resources?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-004, 005, 006 - Ethics of Harry Potter - Dr. Mogg - WMF 8:00-8:50; 9:05-9:55; 11:15-12:05   The Harry Potter series is a worldwide phenomenon. Despite the assertion from some that the books promote witchcraft, many take seriously the proposition that they are full of philosophical significance. This proposition is exemplified in The Chamber of Secrets, when Dumbledore raises the question of character when he says, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" (333). In this course, with the assistance of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, we will view Harry Potter through a philosophical lens to determine what Harry’s choices reveal about the nature of virtues such as courage, temperance, magnanimity and justice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-H01 - Honors section - Morality at the Movies  - Dr. McAlinden - F 12:20-2:55   Movies often present characters with moral dilemmas – problems to solve or choices to make that have moral consequences.   In this course we will discuss some of these films, including: Do the Right Thing, Saving Private Ryan, Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Groundhog Day.  While it is true that people may have differing beliefs about how we should behave, philosophers study ethics: the reasons why we should behave in any particular way.  We will discuss some classic historical and contemporary ethics texts that offer such justifications and methods for solving ethical problems. The format of the class will be lecture-discussion.  This course will fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement for writing intensive and humanities distribution, as well as elective credit toward the Philosophy major or minor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Modified: November 2, 2009